“As the winter term will now end in early June, we anticipate that many students will face serious financial hardship in May and in the following academic year, as their summer employment time will be limited,” said Robert Tiffin, York’s vice-president of students. “Unfortunately, this challenge comes at a time when many are already feeling the harmful effects of an economic downturn. Bursaries and awards are more important than ever.”

York University will address the immediate needs of these students by raising $5 million through the creation of a special 50^th Anniversary Bursaries and Awards program. Gifts donated to this program will be expendable, not endowed, to ensure the funds can be used as early as May 2009 and for Fall 2009.  These awards will help students complete their academic year now and plan their budgets for next fall. A number of other measures are also underway to assist students:

• The York University community will assist students with an extension of housing in residence to the end of the academic year, with no additional cost for accommodation.

• York faculty have established the York University Undergraduate Student Hardship Fund.  Each student will be assessed on the basis of his or her  individual circumstances. 

• The University has also extended to students the ability to transfer tuition fee credits paid this year for dropped courses toward the cost of enrolling in courses next year.

“We appreciate the support of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in this swift and coordinated effort to ensure that qualified students do not face economic barriers to an education, and that those students who excel academically are rewarded,” said Tiffin.

Students can get more information by visiting www.yorku.ca/backtoclass . 

Student Client Services can help students with their specific, individual cases at 416-872-9675. 

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 26 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation. 

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